Be 'Fare' to Hackney

At the last meeting of the council, a motion was passed condemning the decision of the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, to increase bus fares by 20%.

As a result, the council yesterdaylaunched a "Boris - be "Fare" to Hackney" campaign, asking the Mayor to reverse his decision.

Johnson's decision is unneccesary. The extra revenue that we all accept is needed in public transport could have been raised by retaining the western extension of the congestion charge area and by keeping the decision to increase the charge to those vehicles that are the most polluting.

Instead, the London Mayor has decided to increase bus fares. He is cynically punishing areas and groups that did not vote for him.

It means that for the average Hackney family where both adults take the bus to work they will pay £263 more every year in additional bus fares. That is the equivalent of increasing council tax by 27% - something that is unthinkable, or Boris Johnson increasing his share of the tax by almost 100%.

His decision means that the hard working ordinary residents of Hackney and London will pay more and suffer directly for the choice that he has made. Boris has been shown to prefer the richest car owners in London, over hard working Londoners. 82% of Hackney residents use the bus at least once a week and we have the lowest level of car ownership in London - we rely most heavily on buses.

Join the council's campaign to ask Boris to reverse his decision. Send him an ecard directly, telling him exactly what you think here.